KÅNTA : LUCILLE

 

Larry Saralu was singing about marital break-ups since the 1970s.

One of his more famous songs was a Chamorro version of the 1977 Kenny Rogers hit "Lucille."

LYRICS

Annai un dingu i gima’

(when you left the house)

Ni sikiera un fånge’ notisia

(you didn't even write a note)

Na para un hånao i che'lu-ho. (1)

(that you were leaving, my sister.)

Hihot yo’ kaduko, esta hu aliligao hao gi besino.

(I was close to going crazy, I was even looking for you at the neighbor's.)

Pues hu nangga i famagu'on

(So I waited for the children)

Para u fan måtto ginen eskuela

(to come back from school)

Ya puede siña ma tungo’ hao malak måno.

(and maybe they'd know where you went.)

Ya ayo ha’ ilek-ñiha i ma didingu hao gi gima’

(And all they said was you were leaving the house)

Na un preprensa i magagu-mo.

(and you were ironing your clothes.)

Ai na ora para un dingu yo’ Lucille.

(What a time to leave me Lucille.)

Benti åños i tiempo-ta desde ke i umakamo’-ta

(We've had twenty years since we got married)

Ya ennao para un cho’gue

(and that's what you're going to do)

I para un dingu yo’ på'go Lucille.

(to leave me now Lucille.)

Humålom yo’ gi apusento (2)

(I went into the bedroom)

Ya hu sodda’ i aparadot-mo

(and I found your closet)

Na atbietto yan gåsgagas.

(open and cleaned.)

Tåya’ un na’ sopbla, i magågo ni ti un dopbla

(You left nothing behind of the clothes you didn't fold)

Yan palo alåhas.

(and some jewelry.)

Hahasso ha’ i che’lu-ho na manguaiya yo’ nu hågo

(Remember my sister that I love you)

Sa’ hågo i sineda’-ho gof mames.

(Because you are the one I sweetly found.)

I famagu'on gi oriyå-ho ma toktok i sinturå-ho

(The children around me hugged my waist)

Ya sige de manånges.

(and kept crying.)

Thanks to Rose Treltas for helping me with the lyrics.

NOTES

(1) People of equal standing can call each other brother or sister, even if they're married. One wouldn't call someone higher or lower in status your brother or sister.

(2) The apusento is the private section of a home, where non-family members wouldn't go unless invited. The sleeping quarters were in the apusento, although some family members, especially the children, slept in the sala or living room on the floor on woven mats (guåfak). The såla was a public space where visitors could be.

LARRY SARALU